The Debtor's Prison

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From 1833 to 1862 Captain James Hansbrow was Governor of the Castle, and he frequently received letters addressed to debtors, c/o "Hansbrow's Hotel"- giving us a clue about the conditions that existed with the building, for some of the inmates at least...

Hansbrow's Hotel

Until the Bankruptcy Act of 1866, Lancaster Castle housed between 300 and 400 debtors at any one time. Insolvent debtors were required to work within the prison and, in return, received, 3 ozs bread and 4ozs oatmeal daily and 1oz salt and 10lb potatoes weekly.

If the debtor still had access to money, life was quite different. A choice of 22 rooms was available, priced from 5s (25p) to 30s (£1.50p). The fee included fire, candle, use of culinary utensils, and the services of a "room-man" who did the cooking, cleaning, and waiting-on. Debtors could have beer, wine and tobacco but not spirits. They could buy newspapers, food and clothing, follow their trades or professions, and have visitors from 8 am to 8 pm. Their days were spent playing games in the courtyard, and any musicians who were imprisoned would often play at concerts or dances to amuse their fellow debtors. A debtors' market was held in the Castle Yard where meat, bread, butter, groceries, vegetables, fish and fruit could be purchased.

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